What is good for strengthening nails?

Smooth, hard and uniform nails can be a kind of indicator of nutrition and health. Among other things, nails can reveal signs of nutritional deficiencies or internal organ disorders. By ensuring a varied diet rich in nutrients, for example through supplementation, you can not only strengthen your nails over time so that they look better, but also protect them from damage.

1. What are nails made of?
2. How does diet affect nails?
3. How to avoid risks to your nails?

What are nails made of?

Nails are formed as a result of the differentiation of epithelial cells in the skin on the fingers and toes. Hair is produced in a similar process. Both nails and hair are formed from cells that have a kind of ‘software’ that determines what form they will ultimately take. Hard tissues, such as nails and teeth, are composed of specific forms of keratin.

These are proteins that are mainly built from lysine, histidine and arginine. The same group of proteins is responsible, among other things, for the formation of horns in ungulates and feathers in birds. High keratin density results in tissues with exceptional hardness and mechanical strength. Apart from the fact that strong nails look aesthetically pleasing, it should also be remembered that they are a tool for performing various manual activities and also participate in receiving external stimuli.

How does diet affect nails?

Protein is a very important element of the diet, which affects not only the condition of the nails, but also all tissues in the body. Both the amino acids that build keratin and whole proteins, such as collagen, are available in protein-rich foods.

The best sources of building compounds in this category of nutrients include meat, offal, bone broth (and gelatine), fish (preferably with bones), dairy products, legumes and eggs. It is also easy to meet your amino acid and collagen requirements by consuming protein (e.g. milk, soy) or collagen supplements, which are highly digestible.

Another dietary factor that can contribute to strengthening nails is zinc. It co-occurs with keratin in skin epithelial cells. It is an important regulator of many enzymatic processes in the body, including those related to protein synthesis, cell division and tissue growth, such as nails.

Along with proteins and zinc, certain small molecules also influence the condition of hard tissues in the body. These include biotin, or vitamin B7, and organic sulphur, or MSM. They participate in the regulation of biochemical processes leading to keratin synthesis in the body.

How to avoid risks to your nails?

In addition to a good diet for strengthening your nails, it is also important to avoid external risks. These include exposure to strong chemical detergents without gloves, or chronic sticking, unsticking, painting and removing nail decorations.